Buffing wheel and method of making same



Jan. 29, 1957 J. c. WISNIESKI BUFFING WHEEL AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 22, 1954 EYE TZZLUT John C. Mam-65M WAZEZYZ Jan. 29, 1957 J. c. WlSNlESKl BUFFIN G WHEEL AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 22, 1954 U'ofzzz Cf mszzieslul United States Patent BUFFING WHEEL AND METHOD OF MAKING SANIE John C. Wisnieski, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Lyon Incorporated, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application January 22, 1954, Serial No. 405,560

8 Claims. (Cl. 51-193) This invention relates to a method of making an abrading wheel and more particularly to a buffing wheel of the type having interlocked folded layers of cloth.

An object of this invention is to provide an economical time saving method of making a 'bufling wheel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bias cut burlap buff wherein the outer periphery is defined substantially of end portions of folded open mesh burlap material.

A further object of this invention is to provide a burlap strip buff section having mesh like strands folded along the inner peripheral margin of the buff section and in a manner such a to minimize the slufling off of the strands as a result of centrifugal forces existent during high speed operation.

A still further object of this invention is to provide the folded bufling section with a gripping supporting inner annular section such as to eliminate the necessity of stitching the buff fabric as i's'now commonly practiced in the art.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple method by which the buff wheel may 'be dynamically balanced, and during continued use may maintain this balance.

In accordance with the general features of this invention there is provided in a method of forming a unitary buff including a multi-ply fabric outer annular section and a central circular supporting fabric gripping section, the steps of winding a strip of loosely woven burlap-like fabric fiatwise upon itself and into generally tubular form around and in generally radially spaced relation to the supporting section, collapsing radially inward the generally medial area of the wound fabric tube toward and adjacent the periphery of the supporting section while holding the side portions of the tube toward and adjacent each other, establishing a preliminary gripping contact between the supporting section and the folded portions at the medial area to hold temporarily the folded portions together while removing the collapsing medium and thereafter contemporaneously securing the folded portions together and to the supporting section in unitary relation therewith.

Another feature of this invention relates to a tubular bufl? section comprising a fabric strip having at least its medial portion of loosely woven mesh so that the mesh thereof can become increasingly smaller toward the line of fold upon the contracting of the medial portion of the tube to a smaller diameter.

Still another feature of the invention relates to the provision of a novel supporting section for the aforesaid tubular buff section.

A further object of this invention is to provide a simple method of securing the central supporting section to the bias cut folded burlap in such a manner as to eliminate the creation of any undesired pleats.

Other objects and features of this invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a single embodiment thereof, and in which:

Figure l is a plan view of a fabric sheet cut on the bias shown by parallel dotted lines and with one piece severed from the sheet;

Figure 2 is a plan view showing how the bias cut pieces of Figure 1 are sewn end to end to one another to form a continuous bias cut strip;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic end view of an apparatus for practicing my invention showing a bias cut fabric strip 'being wound upon itself in tubular form about a supporting section disposed in the apparatus;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view on the line IV-IV of Figure 3 showing diagrammatically by dotted lines how the wound tube is folded;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through the folded buff and supporting sections of Figure 4 showing their condition after removal from the apparatus in Figure 4 with the retaining prongs partially engaged in the fabric;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the prongs fully clenched substantially through the thickness of the fabric;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side view of the structure shown in Figure 6 showing the central and radial air louvres in the central supporting section, and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary enlarged diagrammatic view showing the loosely woven mesh of the burlap fabric.

As shown on the drawings:

'It will be appreciated from a study of the drawings that they are illustrative, in a diagrammatic way, of the step by step method in the fabrication and assembly of a butt wheel structure embodying the features of this invention.

Further, it will be noted that the details of the apparatus employed in the fabrication of the buff wheel have been generally omitted since any one of several different types of conventional apparatuses may be employed without departing from the novel scope of my invention herein disclosed and claimed.

The reference character 10 designates generally a continuous sheet of buff material such as i commonly used in bufiing and polishing wheels at the present time. For illustration, this sheet can be made of a burlap material cut on the bias, as is conventional practice in the buff art, and which is illustrated in Figure 1 wherein the dotted lines 11 represent how the sheet 10 is to be cut into pieces 12.

After the sheet 10 has been cut into pieces 12, as is illustrated in Figure l, the pieces are stitched end to end, as is illustrated at 13 of Figure 2, to form a continuous strip. It is well known in the boiling art that a bias cut stitched material has distinct advantages over a non-bias cut woof and warp material. Such bias cut type of bufling strip presents along the buffing surface a greater number of thread ends than in straight out strips.

At this time, it might be well to note, as is customary in most conventional buff sections, that in addition to the fabric material or strip 12a, I propose to support the fabric ultimately on a relatively rigid central supporting section designated generally by the reference character 15. This section may be made of any suitably relatively rigidrnaterial as compafed with that of the fabric, such as metal, and shall be describedmore'fully hereinafter.

The next step of my novel method requires the formation of the continuous bias cut strip 12a into a multi-ply tube or cylinder 16. Any number of plies may be wound into the tube 16 depending upon the number desired in the ultimate bufi section to be formed from the tube.

Now, it is to be appreciated that numerous different Ways will readily appear for forming the strip into such atube but I have, for purposes of simplicity, illustrated diagrammatically, in Figures 3 and'4, a'simple form of apparatus by which this forming of the fabric tube 16 may be accomplished. In' Figures 3 and 4, the reference character 14-44 designates a pair of spaced circular oppositely facing mated arbors or drums of a diameter correspondingwith the'inner diameter of the fabric tube that -is-desired. These spaced arbors not only'define together a drum on which the fabric strip 12a is'helically wound, but, in addition, are 'so-configurated on their confronting faces as'to define a cavity'17 into which the medial'portion of the multi-ply tube issubsequently adapted to be collapsed or constricted.

The radially inner portion of this cavity '17 is enlargedat 18 and constricted at 19 for a purpose to be now described.

Within the spirit and intent of this invention, it is contemplated that when the multi-ply wound fabric tube 16 is contracted, as by means of a drawstring 20,into the cavity 17, as shown by dotted'lines in'Figure 4,'the fabric will be contemporaneously folded over and mounted on the periphery ofth'e metal supporting'disk 15. This dish 15 includes an annularportion 21 disposed inthe recessed portions 19 of the arbors 14 and confronting staggered peripheral prongs 22 positione'd in the enlarged cavity portions 18. Thusyit is clear that the mating faces of the opposed arbors 1414 are so formed as to snugly receive and hold the metal supporting section on which the fabric buff section or tube'16-is tobe'folded 'and'retained.

WhilelikeWise, for simplicity purposes, I have shown the constricting or collapsing means employed for-folding the medial portion of the fabric tube 16 into the cavity 17 as being in the form of a drawstring, any other'suitable means could be likewiseused such, for illustration, as an iris'typemechanism similar to that used with a camera.

lens. However, if'a drawstring is used, it can optionally be left in or removed from the folded fabric as desired.

Referring to Figure 4, it willbe clear that as the medial portion of the fabric tube "16 is progressively collapsed,

as illustrated by dotted lines, into'the-cavity 17,'it-ultimately is received in the channel defined by-the gripping means orprongs 2222.

The prongs 2222 are each'of an angular shape and are alternately staggered with reference to the opposite prongs although they are all formed integral with the periphery of the annular portion 21 of the buff supporting section. I

Subsequent to the complete folding of the medial portion of the multi-ply tube 16 with the drawstring 20 adjacent to the edge of portion 21 of the supporting member 15 (Figure 4), slight pressure may be exerted on the ends of the arbors 14 to move them toward each other and thereby force the sharpened tips of the prongs 2222 into opposite sides of the folded fabric portion. Inthis manner, the gripping means or prongs may temporarily retain and hold the fabric tube in its folded position so that the arbors may thereafter be removed and,if so desired, the drawstring20 may likewise then be'removed.

In Figures and 6, I have'shown thecondition of the buff and metal sections after their removal as a unitfrom the folding apparatus. In both illustrations, the drawstring M) is shown as being disposed directly above the fold.

In Figure -5, the tips of the'prongs"22-=22are illustrated as being in temporary gripping engagement with ly woven'bias cut mesh.

the sides of the folded tube buff section 16. Any suitable means "or press equipment may 'be employed for driving the prongs home from the position shown in Figure 5 to that illustrated in Figure 6 wherein the angular extremities of the prongs extend substantially clear through the thickness of the folded buff section 16. This results in a tight clinching of the prongs to the fabric and also compresses the folded layers of fabric tightly against each other.

It should be noted that in the operations illustrated in Figure 6, no stitching of adhesive is necessary for retaining the plies of the fabric tube section 16 together but if it is so desired thesecurement of the plies could be augmented by'stitching or adhesive in the usual way.

In the foregoing manner, I have provided a novel method of not onlyyfolding the fabric section but of integralizing it with-theperiphcfy of the central metal supportingsection 15. In-Figure 7, I have shown a fragmentary side view'of'the integral unit of Figure 6 and have illustrated diagrammatically the open mesh comprising the fabric tube section 16. The central annular portion 21 of the metal supporting section 15 is apertured at 25 to receive the arbor or shaft of a bufiing machine in a manner Well'known to those familiar with this art.

It will'be appreciated that a series of these units may be used side by side onasingle shaft as is conventional practice. I

In addition,theannular'metal portion 21 may also be provided with louvres or'vanes 26 as are commonly u'se'dinthebufiing art forWentiIating and air circulating purposes in the cooling of the buff.

Before concluding, attention is directed to the fact that inthe'processoffolding themedial portion of the fabric to a smaller diameter, the fabric would ordinarily have to "become pleated if' it'were' not for the openmesh of the same. "By virtue 'ofthe-use of'an open mesh fabric, the

mesh portionsof theplies immediately adjacent the fold may become increasingly smaller toward the actual medial 1mm as to allow'for the differences in thediameter of the materialand'thereby-topreclude the formation of pleats.

-While thislatter feature is also old in the art, it is new here to so decrease the mesh as a part of moving it into'the-cavity wherethe reduced mesh portions may be contemporaneously flattened and clinched to the periphery of the central supporting section.

It further becomes apparent now that a very important feature and advantage ofmy invention resides in the use "tures of my invention, only the longitudinal medial area of the strip, which is to be bent under, be made of loose- In other words, if it is so desired, the side edges of the strip could be made of a more closely woven'fabric or muslin although it may be more economical to make the same strip of loosely woven material rather than to make one part of it from loosely woven material and the other part of closely woven material. -In some instances, however, muslin or more closely-woven fabric may be required for a particular buffing operation in which eventzthe-side edges of the fabric couldbe'made of-such -material withonly the medial area of 1 loosely .woven mesh.

It is also clear that the fabric, as 'is likewise old in the art, could be suitably impregnated with a buffing compound "ifit isso desired.

While I have illustrated and described my invention 7 it should be understood that such a method lends itself to the use of machines for large scale production.

It will be understood that modificationsand variations may be efliected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a method of forming a unitary buff including a multi-ply fabric outer annular section and a central circular supporting fabric gripping section, the steps of bias cutting a strip of loosely woven burlap-like fabric into a series of bias cut pieces, connecting each end of each bias cut piece to the endsof another bias cut piece to form a continuous strip of bias cut material, winding said strip of loosely woven burlap-like fabric flatwise upon itself and into generally tubular form around and in generally radially spaced relation to a supporting section, collapsing radially inward the generally medial area of said wound fabric toward and adjacent the periphery of said supporting section while folding the side portions of the tube toward and adjacent each other, establishing a preliminary gripping contact between said supporting section and the folded portions at said medial area to hold temporarily the folded portions together, and thereafter contemporaneously securing the folded portions together and to said supporting section in unitary relationship therewith.

2. In a method of forming a unitary buff including a multi-ply fabric outer annular section and a central circular supporting section having integral flexible fabric gripping prongs, the steps of bias cutting a strip of loosely woven burlap-like fabric into a series of bias cut pieces, connecting each end of each bias cut piece to the end of another bias cut piece to form a continuous strip of bias cut material, winding said strip of loosely woven burlap-like fabric flatwise upon itself and into generally tubular form around and in generally radially spaced relation to a supporting section, collapsing radially inward the generally medial area of said wound fabric toward and adjacent the periphery of said supporting section while folding the side portions of the tube toward and adjacent each other, engaging pointed ends of prongs on the supporting section against the side portions of the folded fabric to retain temporarily the fabric in folded condition and thereafter clenching the prongs home into the fabric to secure firmly the fabric section to the supporting section in unitary relation therewith.

3. In a method of forming a unitary buff including a multi-ply fabric outer annular section and a central circular supporting fabric gripping section, the steps of bias cutting a strip of loosely woven burlap-like fabric into a series of bias cut pieces, connecting each end of each bias cut piece to the end of another bias cut piece to form a continuous strip of bias cut material, winding said strip of loosely woven burlap-like fabric flatwise upon itself and into generally tubular form around and in generally radially spaced relation to a supporting section, collapsing radially inward the generally medial area of said wound fabric toward and adjacent the periphery of said supporting section by contracting a drawstring wound around said medial area while folding the side portions of the tube toward and adjacent each other, establishing a preliminary gripping contact between said supporting section and the folded portions at said medial area to hold temporarily the folded portions together and thereafter contemporaneously securing the folded portions together and to said supporting section in unitary relationship therewith.

4. In a method of forming a unitary buff including a multi-ply fabric outer annular section and a central circular supporting fabric section with annularly arranged gripping means defining a peripheral channel for receiving the fabric section, the steps of bias cutting a strip of loosely woven burlap-like fabric into a series of bias cut pieces, connecting each end of each bias cut piece to the end of another bias cut piece to form a continuous strip of bias cut material, winding said strip of loosely woven burlap-like fabric flatwise upon itself and into generally tubular form around and in generally radially spaced relation to a supoprting section, collapsing radially inward the generally medial area of said wound fabric tube toward and into the channel of said suporting section while folding the side portions of the tube toward and adjacent each other, establishing a preliminary gripping contact between said channeled gripping supporting section and the folded portions at said medial area to hold temporarily the folded portions together and thereafter contemporaneously securing the folded portions together within and to saidannularly gripping supporting section in unitary relationship therewith.

5. In a method of forming a unitary buff including a mnlti-ply fabric outer annular section and a central circular supporting fabric gripping section, the steps of bias cutting a strip of loosely woven burlap-like fabric into a series of bias cut pieces, connecting each end of each bias cut piece to the end of another bias cut piece to form a continuous strip of bias cut material, winding said strip of loosely woven burlap-like fabric flatwise upon itself and into generally tubular form around and in generally radially spaced relation to a supporting section, constricting radially inward the generally medial area of said wound fabric tube toward and adjacent the periphery of said supporting section while folding the side portions of the tube toward and adjacent each other, establishing a preliminary gripping contact between said supporting section and the folded portion at said medial area to hold temporarily the folded portions together and thereafter contemporaneously securing the folded portions together and to said supporting sections in unitary relation therewith, said fabric strip having at least its medial portion of loosely woven fabric so that the mesh thereof becomes increasingly smaller toward the line of fold upon the constricting of the medial portion of the tube to a smaller diameter about the supporting section.

6. A unitary buff comprising a multi-ply fabric outer annular section comprising a fiat strip of loosely woven burlap fabric wound in tubular form upon itself and folded along a medial line with the mesh of the fabric increasingly smaller toward the line of fold and with the side edges of the strip defining the periphery of the fabric section and a radially inner supporting and relatively rigid section having circumferentially spaced air louvers disposed generally inside said fold and having peripheral and staggered radial prongs on opposite sides of the folded fabric section and embedded in and extending substantially through the thickness of the folded section, said prongs defining substantially an annular channel in which the folded portions of said fabric section adjacent said medial line are formed, compressed and retained on said supporting section, said section comprising a single circular unitary plate with the prongs alternately bent in opposite directions from and integral with its outer periphery, said prongs including an axial portion extending generally axially from said rigid section and terminating in a generally radial leg the extremity of which is angled over said axial portion biting into said fabric section at an inclined angle thereby facilitating assembly.

7. In a buff section including a bulf ring and a supporting ring encompassing its inner periphery, said supporting ring comprising a rigid annulus with a radially extending portion having its outer periphery margin provided with a plurality of spaced radial slits defining oppositely angled radial buff ring gripping extensions, each of said extensions including a portion extending generally axially from said radial portion and terminating in a generally radial leg the extremity of which is angled over said axial portion biting into the material of the buif ring at its inner margin at an inclined angle to facilitate assembly of said rings.

8. In a method of forming a unitary buff including a multi-ply fabric outer annular section and a central circular supporting fabric gripping section, the steps of bias cutting a strip of loosely woven burlap-like.fabricintoa of loosely Woven burlap-like fabric flatwise upon itself and into generally tubular form around and in-generally radially spaced relation to a supporting section, collapsing radiallyinward-the generally medial area of said Wound fabric toward and adjacent the periphery of said supporting'section while folding the side portions of the tube toward and adjacent each other, temporarily engaging said :portionsadjacent said supporting section to hold-them temporarily in foldedrelation, and thereafter contempo- ,raneously securing the folded portions together and to said supportings'ction' in unitary relationship therewith.

References" Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,922,108 Myers et a1 Aug. 15, 1933 2,291,524 Best 'et a1 "July 28, 1942 2,531,249 Blair-ct al Nov. 21, 1950 2,539,844 Kingsbury Jan. 30, 1951 2,572,093 Bahr-et a1. Oct. 23, 1951 2,608,035 Tullo Aug. 26, 1952 2,616,227 McAleer- Nov. 4, 1952 2,642,706 Davies June 23, 1953 

